Safety-can.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. HOLMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SAFETY-CAN.

Application filed 27, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. Homrns, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Safety- Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety cans. In the particular embodiment of the device it will be described as used for garbage or as a garbage can. Its object is to provide a cover which will ordinarily automatically close itself when left alone and which will automatically lock itself in closed position so that the can cannot be opened accidentally or otherwise, except by a person of sui'licient intelligence to operate the unlatching device.

The invention consists in a garbage can provided with a hinged cover, a spring device for normally closing the cover and a latch releasable from outside the can which will automatically lock the cover in closed position exceptwhen unlatched by the hand of the operator.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a garbage can equipped with the device of this invention. Fig. 2 is a side view looking at it from the left hand side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the hinge and spring for closing the cover. Fig. 41 is a de tailed perspective view of a latch hook stamped from one piece of metal.

In illustrating this invention in its preferred form an ordinary garbage can 10 is provided, the same having at one side se cured thereto by any suitable means a metallic hinge bracket 12 in which is a pivot screw 141 on which the lifting handle strap 16 is hinged, as shown. Rigidly secured to the underside of this handle strap 16 is a cover 18 of ordinary construction adapted to close the can.

Extending from bracket 12 is a horizon tal lug 20 to which is secured by rivets 22 or other suitable means a spring 241 bent in such a shape that, as shown, its end 26 engages the cover handle 16 and thus tends to close the cover 18 upon the garbage can and hold it in closed position. This spring 2% is of such strength and so proportioned that the cover may be swung on the pivot 14: upward from the position in Fig. 1 to a position in which the cover 18 is practically vertical and the interior of the can is, therefore, readily accessible. Movementbeyond this point is checked by the engagement of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 629.797.

handle 16 with lug 20. Pivoted at 28 upon depending portion 30 of the handle 16 is a lever member 32 comprising a handle por tion 3d: adapted to be engaged by the fingers or hand of the operator and a latch portion having a latch aw 38 adapted to engage a pin 10 carried by bracket lugs 42 upon the side of the can. This jaw 38 is, as shown, termed by bending from the sides of the part 36 the two tiaps or leaves 38 to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Extending from the member 32 and below the pivot 28 is a projecting lug 41 1 adapted to be engaged by the member 36, as shown in Fi 1, so as to prevent the latch 38 from swinging too far to the right when in unlatched position, thereby preventing ready latching of the device. A spring 16 is provided upon the underside of the member 3 1 in engagement with the member 30 tending to normally hold the latch 38 in engagement with the pin 10.

In the operation of the device the can cover and latching device are normally in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the can is closed and latched. When it is desired to place any article in the can or to remove articles already in the can therefrom the operator presses upon handle 34, thus rotating the latch lever in a clockwise direction about the pivot 28 and causing latch member 38 to disengage from the pin 40. As soon as this occurs the operator is at liberty to pull up upon the handle 16, and thus rotate the entire cover about pivot 141 against the action of spring 241 to a position where the articles in question can be either inserted or removed from the can. As soon as this is done the operator lets go of handle 16 and spring 2d automatically closes the device, latch member 38 clicking over pin 40 into latched position, where it is held, as shown, by the spring 416. It will be noticed that the latch member and handle are so located and shaped that merely tipping the can 011 its side will have no effect to unlatch the device. In other words, the device will automatically latch itself and stay latched under any ordinary conditions which can occur through the can being tipped over by the wind or by a mischievous animal, while, on the other hand, it is readily operable by anyone understanding the use of the latch 32 which is so simple that it can be manipulated by even a small child who has been properly instructed.

The end of handle 16 which engages hinge 11 is in rubbing contact with the inner faces 50 of the side walls of bracket 12 with the resultthat the cover 18 rotates in a fixed vertical plane and the latch 38 always engages member 10 instead of swinging to one side or the other, as would be the case if side play in the hinge was not thus prevented.

The claim is In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle 10, a cover 18 therefor, a handle 16 secured to the cover and having a pivotal connection at one side with a bracket 12 secured upon the receptacle, a rod 10 carried by said bracket a spring 24 carried by the bracket and engaging the cover 16 normally tending to hold the cover in closed position, a bracket 42 upon the side of the receptacle a latch lever Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

32 having a latch member 38 adapted to engage rod 10, and a handle member 34 bent from a vertical position to a position in proximity to the handle 16, and a spring 4.6 between the handle 16 and the lever handle 31 adapted to normally hold the latch in locked position upon the member 10, and a lug 1 1 carried by the cover adapted to prevent successive movement of the latching member, all of the parts being arranged and disposed substantially as shown and described for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED E. HOLMES. Witnesses DWIGHT B. OHEEVER, MARGARET D. Roan.

Washington, D. C. 

